Hi there, Melissa!
Thanks so much for stopping by the Disney Parks Moms Panel with your great questions!
When you make your
Advanced Dining Reservations, it's extremely important that you include your infant in the reservation even though he/she will not be eating. This is due to restaurant capacity and space needed at your table.
A credit card is required to guarantee
Advanced Dining Reservations whether or not you are using one of the
Disney Dining Plans to pay for your meals. This is due to the cancellation policy at the restaurants; policies for each restaurant are listed as you are booking your reservations and you must click the check-box to agree to those policies before you can confirm. It's important to note that nothing is charged on your credit card when you're simply guaranteeing a reservation. There are Dinner Shows and restaurants (like
Cinderella's Royal Table) where you will be required to pay for the meal in full in order to book. You can book these prepaid meals using your
Disney Dining entitlements by calling (407) WDW-DINE, but you'll still be required to guarantee the reservation with your credit card. You can certainly book restaurants that are not listed in the following year's Dining Plan brochure as this information is typically being negotiated until the first or second month of the year. The most current brochure is available at the above link so you can check back often as restaurants are added.
I sure hope this helps, Melissa! Please don't hesitate to write back in if we can help with any other questions you have!
Wishing you and your family a Pixie Dusted vacation!
~Jackie